The present invention relates to automatic call distributor systems.
Before the present invention, telephone systems have been provided with a plurality of automatic call distributors (ACD) comprising a switch for routing incoming calls to a plurality of agents associated with each of the automatic call distributors. At certain times, the number of calls to any given call distributor may be excessive, and the callers are placed in a line (queue) for answering. Routing calls from a given automatic call distributor in an overflow manner from the originating automatic call distributor to another automatic call distributor is sometimes attempted if the call can be accepted at the other ACD. Such an overflow of calls may, for example, be required in an emergency situation, such as an ice storm when answering personnel (agents) cannot get to work to answer the telephone calls. However, each of the calls which are overflowed from one ACD to another ACD have required at least one trunk line for each call transferred which imposes an excessive need for trunks and equipment on the telephone system. In addition, the overflow of calls required that a sufficient number of agents at the other ACD be available to answer the calls to permit such overflow to be practical.
In addition, such overflow from one ACD to another ACD is relatively inefficient since it does not make the maximum use of the various agents servicing the ACDs in a multi-node ACD network. Further, if an answering agent is required to establish a conference between the caller and a third party it is presently necessary for the agent servicing the call at the second ACD to return the call on a trunk line to the originating ACD, such that the overflow calls are routed from the originating ACD to a second ACD and back to the originating ACD, which requires yet another trunk line thus posing additional equipment requirements of trunks and telephone system equipment. Further, many calls such as operator service calls send a series of identification and control digits to the switch during initial call set up. If the call cannot be answered in the originating ACD/switch for any reason, the identifier control digits must be regenerated and forwarded (overflowed) to another switch. This imposes additional requirements on the telephone system but is needed for proper operation and disposition of the overflow answered call.
In many instances, it would be desirable to connect incoming calls to an agent with special skills, such as an agent having knowledge of a particular foreign language, product, or caller service requirement. This invention would allow the calls requiring the special skill to be answered in the originating ACD by an agent with the special skill if one is available and connected to the network.
The use of remote agents to answer calls for a "closed" ACD center is in not an accepted solution because remote agents are dedicated to serving only the center from which they are remoted. In other words, they are physically remoted but electronically the same as local agents. Assume a call center location with agents remoted from one or more ACD call centers. If traffic to the ACD center is low (or none at all), the remoted agents connected to that ACD are idle. At the same time, other agents remoted from the other ACD call centers physically next to the "idle" remoted agents may be swamped with calls from their respective ACD call centers. Without physically moving to a new position, which is electronically connected to the "busy" center, the "idle" remote agents cannot answer an incoming call. If the agent does move to a new position, his assistance is still limited to only that one center which is connected to the position. Other call centers in the network with a call queue are not capable of being helped by the idle agents. The invention allows each ubiquitous agent position to be assigned to the call center with the greater need on a real time basis.
Historically, moving incoming calls to other call centers by the overflow method is used to improve service levels, utilize idle agents, and/or to close a call center after hours. This overflow method is acceptable when dealing with basic traffic (seize and ring), low traffic periods during off-hours, and/or during peak call volume periods. Operator Service traffic and calls with data and control digits as part of the call supervision are complex and cannot be routed over standard overflow circuits with existing ACD software. Also, the number of circuits required to provide full contingency coverage for emergencies, such as ice storms, with conventional diversion is one inter-switch circuit for each incoming trunk, and would require an excessive amount of circuits to perform a 100% contingency coverage. With the invention, a circuit (or fractional circuit with multiplexing) for each agent is required. (The trunk circuit to agent ratio is typically 1.2 to 1 in most call centers).